Brian McDermott Reveals Arsenal’s Missed Opportunity to Sign Erling Haaland

Former Arsenal scout Brian McDermott revealed he spoke to Erling Haaland’s father when the striker was 17 about a possible move to the Gunners. However, Haaland’s camp prioritized first-team football, leading him to Molde, Salzburg, Dortmund, and eventually Manchester City. Since joining City in 2022, Haaland has scored 127 goals in 149 appearances.

When the name Erling Haaland comes up, Arsenal fans may wonder what might have been. Former Gunners head scout Brian McDermott has revealed that he spoke with Haaland’s father, Alf-Inge, when the striker was just 17 about the possibility of joining Arsenal. At the time, Haaland was already a towering 6ft 3in talent with pace and power, but McDermott admitted that breaking into the Arsenal first team would have been unlikely.

Alf-Inge Haaland and his son’s team had a clear plan focused on first-team football, something Arsenal could not guarantee. Instead, Haaland left Bryne for Molde in 2017, scoring 20 goals in 50 games before moving to Red Bull Salzburg in 2019, where he quickly rose to prominence. His rapid rise continued with a switch to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, and then Manchester City in 2022, where he has since established himself as one of the world’s most lethal strikers.

At City, Haaland has scored 127 goals in 149 appearances, including four goals in eight games against Arsenal. McDermott’s reflection highlights the risks of young players joining top English clubs too early, citing how Jermaine Pennant waited until 21 to make his debut at Arsenal. For Haaland, patience and planning paid off, shaping him into the Premier League’s top scorer once again this season.